Power2Give campaign helps Oakland arts groups raise needed funds

Arts & Scraps puts recycled materials in the hands of children all over metro Detroit to create their own original artwork. The nonprofit group needs funding to help rebuild its outdated website.

Oakland County arts organizations are seeking funding help with the launch of a new Kickstarter campaign through Power2Give.

Arts and culture organization CultureSource will launch the 17th market of national Kickstarter site Power2Give Thursday, June 27. The site matches prospective donors with arts organizations seeking financial assistance.

"For example, Cranbrook Art Museum would like new seating for groups coming through its galleries. The Village Fine Arts Association in Milford is in desperate need of updated display screens. The Royal Oak-based Cantata Academy Chorale is trying to raise money to complete a recording session. The Holocaust Memorial Center library (in Farmington Hills) needs funds to bind and preserve its books.

"These and dozens more metro Detroit nonprofits just need a little help to make their projects happen, and Power2Give can help them find new donors."

Unlike other Kickstarter projects, Power2Give pairs donors with specific projects, rather than institutions, to give perspective of what will be done with the money, said CultureSource Executive Maud Lyon.

"(Power2Give's method) is good because it makes it easier for new donors to understand what the money is going to do and how it's going to benefit people," Lyon said. "It's not just making general statements about how wonderful the organization is. It's very specifically giving you a tangible idea of what they do, and what they need to do it well or do it better."

Ramsey outlined the Oakland County projects in detail:

-- The Birmingham-Bloomfield Art Center needs $10,000 to help launch a new program for people with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers to inspire creative mind functioning for individuals in early- and mid-stage Alzheimer's and dementia.

-- The Janice Charach Gallery is seeking $10,000 for new pedestals to display artwork at the West Bloomfield gallery inside the Jewish Community Center.

-- The Art Experience in Pontiac is seeking $2,661 cover the cost of one year's worth of supplies to support its open studio program.

-- The Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield is looking for $8,016 for new seating for groups that come to explore its galleries.

-- The Village Fine Arts Association in Milford needs $5,600 to provide paper, sketching pencils, ink pens, acrylic paints, paintbrushes, clay and other supplies needed to help artists create at the new center.

CultureSource formed in 2007. The provisional association's job is to help art and culture organizations in Metro Detroit establish stable community assets, Lyon said. 120 organizations have benefited from the site.

Power2Give was started by the Arts and Science Council of North Carolina two years ago, and Lyon said the site brings a new way for art and cultural nonprofits to seek online funding for projects.

Research shows that young donors are more interested in supporting projects than institutions, Lyon said. Bringing this kickstarter site to Detroit gives donors the opportunity to contribute to projects that are important to them, increasing visibility for many lesser-known or smaller groups.

Ramsey said all projects posted on Power2Give are eligible for a 1:1 donation match grant. The Ford Foundation was the first to match, donating $60,000.

"With Power2Give, we are very happy to have the matching price from Ford Foundation to get things started," Lyon said. "One of the wonderful things about the system is that it is very flexible, and it is set up to do matching funds for anyone that wants to.

"Our mission is to do things that will enable many organizations to connect with new donors in different ways," she added. "It makes the Detroit arts and culture sector stronger, but it also makes each organization stronger by using the system. It's great for people in the community because there are many projects that wouldn't be successful without something like this."